3. Alexander Pushkin

Pushkin is regarded as a giant of the Russian literary scene, perhaps most famously for his poem, “Eugene Onegin,” which is a meandering tale of a nobleman who has grown tired of court life.

Pushkin himself came from an aristocratic background, and was afforded the usual advantages that his status brought in 19th-century Russia. At the age of 15, he was already acknowledged as a precocious talent, and continued to write, even while “working” in a government position in the foreign ministry. However, some of his writing -- notably “Ode to Liberty” -- was considered to have seditious content, and he was exiled by the Tsar, Alexander I.

Despite the fear of revolution, which pervaded absolute monarchies in Europe at the time, Pushkin was invited back into the fold by Alexander’s successor, Nicholas I. His beautiful wife, however, attracted many admirers at court, and Pushkin felt repeatedly dishonored. The need to defend his honor led him to duel frequently, and ultimately was responsible for his death. Widely mourned at the time, he was considered an icon by Bolsheviks who saw him as anti-establishment. The colorful and dangerous life he led earns him a place in this list of manly poets.